← 12 Aug Thursday 13 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 14 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
29,692 stories about harm· Trends· Every past day

We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.

How to read these numbers →

Protests in Minsk (Belarus), violence in Mocimboa da Praia and outbreaks in New Zealand drew the news. Belarus' coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostBelarus 67 in 100 of its 389 stories, usually 51
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

259 of its 389 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Minsk accounted for 206 of Belarus' 259 stories about harm, carried by 468 outlets. 188 of Minsk's 206 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (43 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Belarus over 30 days → its stories → Minsk stories →
Conflict & violence

Mozambique

35 of its 44 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Mocimboa da Praia accounted for 22 of Mozambique's 35 stories about harm, carried by 34 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Mozambique over 30 days → its stories → Mocimboa da Praia stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Cameroon

21 of its 40 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. 3 of Muyuka's 6 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lithuania

20 of its 34 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Central African Republic

8 of its 9 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Côte d’Ivoire

11 of its 22 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. 6 of Abidjan's 9 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Ethiopia

44 of its 77 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →
Health

North Korea

34 of its 67 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Flooding was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in North Korea (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in UK (184 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); poisoning in Mexico (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); hunger in Israel (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); extreme cold in China (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 30; 28 the day before
33 in 10028 in 10015 Jul22 Jul29 Jul5 Aug13 Aug15 Jul: 29 in 10016 Jul: 29 in 10017 Jul: 30 in 10018 Jul: 32 in 10019 Jul: 33 in 10020 Jul: 30 in 10021 Jul: 30 in 10022 Jul: 30 in 10023 Jul: 29 in 10024 Jul: 29 in 10025 Jul: 31 in 10026 Jul: 33 in 10027 Jul: 29 in 10028 Jul: 29 in 10029 Jul: 28 in 10030 Jul: 28 in 10031 Jul: 29 in 1001 Aug: 31 in 1002 Aug: 32 in 1003 Aug: 29 in 1004 Aug: 29 in 1005 Aug: 29 in 1006 Aug: 29 in 1007 Aug: 29 in 1008 Aug: 31 in 1009 Aug: 32 in 10010 Aug: 29 in 10011 Aug: 29 in 10012 Aug: 28 in 10013 Aug: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 13 Aug. The big dot is this day; the shaded band is a normal day (the 30 days before it). Click a day to open it. Based on 29,692 stories about harm among 106,887 counted on 13 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a lower share of stories about people being harmed since 9 March 2020. the news turned to Belarus for the fourth day running. A year earlier, on 14 August 2019, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 28 today. of the day's 106,887 news stories, 28 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 30.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Mauritius71 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 55 · mostly disasters & accidents Belarus67 in 100 of its 389 stories · usually 51 · mostly rights & justice Lebanon66 in 100 of its 770 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan62 in 100 of its 123 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan61 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US280 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1358 Minsk Belarus188 stories about protests or strikes, of its 206 Beirut Lebanon152 stories about protests or strikes, of its 483 Chicago US129 stories about protests or strikes, of its 330 Portland US87 stories about protests or strikes, of its 142

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: about as warm as its own usual or lessZambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited States: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Arab Emirates: about as warm as its own usual or lessUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: too little coverage to readQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: too little coverage to readPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: too little coverage to readItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: too little coverage to readGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: too little coverage to readBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: about as warm as its own usual or lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readPakistan: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualLithuania: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBahrain: warmth about its own usualJordan Valley, Israel -- conflict & violence: 46 stories, carried by 161 outletsYorkshire, UK -- health: 29 stories, carried by 19 outletsJaipur, India -- conflict & violence: 17 stories, carried by 13 outletsJerusalem, Israel -- health: 199 stories, carried by 396 outletsMorecambe Bay, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates -- health: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsMinnesota, US -- health: 47 stories, carried by 57 outletsAmsterdam, Netherlands -- health: 19 stories, carried by 19 outlets
Warmer than its own usual The warmest eventsAbout as warm or lessToo little news

Each country shaded by the warmth in its news — care, help, gratitude — against its own last 30 days. Stronger colour: further above. Dots: the events whose coverage carried the most warmth, even where the event itself began as harm. Warm words, not good outcomes. Click a country or a dot.

Warmest news

● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Jordan Valley Israel about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 46 stories ● Yorkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 29 stories ● Jaipur India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 17 stories ● Jerusalem Israel about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 199 stories ● Morecambe Bay UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health58% 16,993 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 5,208 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,876 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,717 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 1,012 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 853 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 398 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 329 stories · about as usual

Of the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.

Harm reported 30 days →

Stories reporting people killed7,151 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,109 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,026 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,555 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations176 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees156 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced135 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions96 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill37 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and China

Stories that report it, not people: we count what reporters wrote, not what happened.

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than usual
● Fearabout as usual

From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?

The weekly briefing · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

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How to read these numbers →

These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.